PHOTOS: Minnesota Opera’s Elektra Arts Music Opera Theatre by Twin Cities Arts Reader - October 5, 2019October 14, 2019 A scene from Minnesota Opera’s new production of Elektra, which opens tonight in St. Paul, MN. Photo by Cory Weaver. Minnesota Opera’s production of Elektra opens tonight at the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts in St. Paul, MN. This production of an opera by Richard Strauss treats Greek myth with a taste of black-and-white film and a strong helping of Art Deco. The production is directed by Brian Staufenbiel, who also headed up the projection design. Matthew LeFebvre designed the costumes, Nicole Pearce designed the lighting, and the projects and video design were created by David Murakami. Here’s what their combined visions look like on stage. Marcy Stonikas as Chrysothemis and Sabine Hogrefe as Elektra. Wondering who Chrysothemis is? She’s practically the only member of Agamemnon’s family to not have a play named after them. Photo by Cory Weaver. The evening begins with a pre-curtain prequel show. Photo by Cory Weaver. Sabine Hogrefe stars as Elektra, a woman caught up in the aftermath of her mother’s being murdered by Elektra’s brother for having murdered their father. Confused? The full story takes a whole trilogy to work out, and that’s after the whole Trojan War. Photo by Cory Weaver. Action spills around and through the MN Opera Orchestra, which is seated onstage and in the shadows. Photo by Cory Weaver. Nadia Fayad as Maidservant 1, Lisa Marie Rogali as Maidservant 4, Karin Wolverton as Overseer, Victoria Vargas as Maidservant 3, and Mia Athey as Maidservant 2. Maidservant 5, sadly, gets the worst of the numbering and left out of this photo. Photo by Cory Weaver. Jill Grove as Klytaemnestra (center), who decided to kill her husband over irreconcilable differences about sacrificing their daughter Iphigenia. Photo by Cory Weaver. Yes, you heard it. She killed Agamemnon, something even Brad Pitt couldn’t manage in Troy. Photo by Cory Weaver. Many people have issues when their mothers start dating post-divorce and remarry. Elektra (Sabine Hogrefe) has issues with Aegisth (Dennis Petersen) because he helped her mother murder her father. Photo by Cory Weaver. About Latest Posts Twin Cities Arts ReaderThe Twin Cities Arts Reader is an arts and lifestyles magazine whose coverage examines arts and selected activities in the state of Minnesota and across the country. It provides Minnesota's largest source of in-depth, critical theatre coverage, and reaches more than 600,000 readers per year. Latest posts by Twin Cities Arts Reader (see all) PREVIEW: When LEGOs Go To War: World War Brick (June 9-11) - May 15, 2023 NEWS: Free Loring Park Art Festival Returns July 29-30 - April 20, 2023 NEWS: Metropolitan Regional Arts Council Announces Arts Impact for Groups Recipients - March 20, 2023 Share on Facebook Share Share on TwitterTweet